Early vote results in election scandal in 1904

Bill EllzeyCorrespondent

Published: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 8:41 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 8:41 p.m.

Absentee voting, lately known as "early voting," has long been a normal part of the Louisiana election process, but a little more than a century ago, a prominent Terrebonne resident and sugar planter found himself accused of improperly "early voting" in a special election to approve a drainage district tax.

A suit brought by the Lower Terrebonne Refining and Manufacturing Co. and other opponents of the Terrebonne police jury measure, questioned whether the election had been properly advertised, whether the poll commissioners had been chosen properly, who was authorized to open the polls and whether votes could be cast before the hour when the polls were set to open officially.

District Judge Louis P. Caillouet had ruled in favor of the police jury, to let the passage of the proposed drainage district tax stand.

Opponents appealed the ruling to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which quickly dispensed with all of the issues but one, the premature vote cast by Robert Ruffin Barrow Jr., who happened to be president of the drainage district.

"Barrow," justices explained, "was anxious to vote but was also anxious to catch an early train. When he reached the polling place, no one was there. Being pressed for time, he started out in search of the commissioners, instead of waiting for them to arrive.

"Commissioner Aycock, whom he met, could not come immediately, as he had to go to his house and change clothes. While he was with Aycock, Mr. Theriot came along, having the ballot boxes in charge.

"Barrow and Theriot drove back to the polling place, and found there Boudreaux and Duplantis. These two and Theriot at once opened the poll as commissioners, and Mr. Barrow voted before the hour fixed by law for the opening of the poll. The vote changed the result of the election.

"Barrow, as president of the drainage district, had appointed the commissioners ... the same list of commissioners" who would oversee the election for public officers to be held at the same time and place.

The court found no evil intent on Barrow's part, nor on the parts of the others involved. "The evidence leaves no doubt that the entire proceeding was in the best of good faith."

But considering the questionable "commissioners" and other good-faith irregularities, justices ruled that the result of the election be thrown out, invalidated.

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<p>Absentee voting, lately known as "early voting," has long been a normal part of the Louisiana election process, but a little more than a century ago, a prominent Terrebonne resident and sugar planter found himself accused of improperly "early voting" in a special election to approve a drainage district tax.</p><p>A suit brought by the Lower Terrebonne Refining and Manufacturing Co. and other opponents of the Terrebonne police jury measure, questioned whether the election had been properly advertised, whether the poll commissioners had been chosen properly, who was authorized to open the polls and whether votes could be cast before the hour when the polls were set to open officially.</p><p>District Judge Louis P. Caillouet had ruled in favor of the police jury, to let the passage of the proposed drainage district tax stand.</p><p>Opponents appealed the ruling to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which quickly dispensed with all of the issues but one, the premature vote cast by Robert Ruffin Barrow Jr., who happened to be president of the drainage district.</p><p>"Barrow," justices explained, "was anxious to vote but was also anxious to catch an early train. When he reached the polling place, no one was there. Being pressed for time, he started out in search of the commissioners, instead of waiting for them to arrive.</p><p>"Commissioner Aycock, whom he met, could not come immediately, as he had to go to his house and change clothes. While he was with Aycock, Mr. Theriot came along, having the ballot boxes in charge. </p><p>"Barrow and Theriot drove back to the polling place, and found there Boudreaux and Duplantis. These two and Theriot at once opened the poll as commissioners, and Mr. Barrow voted before the hour fixed by law for the opening of the poll. The vote changed the result of the election.</p><p>"Barrow, as president of the drainage district, had appointed the commissioners ... the same list of commissioners" who would oversee the election for public officers to be held at the same time and place.</p><p>The court found no evil intent on Barrow's part, nor on the parts of the others involved. "The evidence leaves no doubt that the entire proceeding was in the best of good faith."</p><p>But considering the questionable "commissioners" and other good-faith irregularities, justices ruled that the result of the election be thrown out, invalidated.</p><p>The Courier and Daily Comet are looking for your old photographs and the memories that go with them. In order to protect your valuable photographs, do not send unsolicited photographs. Instead, contact Bill Ellzey at 876-5638 and leave a message. You may also write to him at: The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361 or contact him via email at bill-ellzey@att.net.</p>